


Breaking News

by LadyOxymoron



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 06:30:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21351772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOxymoron/pseuds/LadyOxymoron
Summary: Good news spreads fast. Sometimes, even sooner than those directly involved know it.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 40
Kudos: 299
Collections: Hunter's Moon Fic Recs





	Breaking News

"Congratulations, sir," Underhill says, smiling at Alec as he walks past the ops center. 

People have been looking at Alec funny ever since he’s stepped foot inside of the Institute. There have been whispers behind his back and he can swear he even heard someone _ giggle. _ One of the new recruits from Idris has gone as far as congratulating him, only to stammer an apology and dash away when Alec glared at him and demanded to know what the hell was going on. 

Alec doesn’t have the patience to deal with this kind of behavior on any good day. Considering that last night was date night and he was out for drinks with Magnus, his current mood is exacerbated by the residual hangover.

Underhill is the last straw. 

"My office," Alec says, keeping up his stride. "_Now_." He doesn’t turn around, satisfied to hear the sound of Underhill's boots as he follows him to his office.

Alec shuts the door behind their backs and turns toward his head of security. "What the hell is going on?" 

"We heard the good news.” To Alec’s puzzlement, Underhill is still smiling. “We're just happy for you, sir." 

"What are you talking about?" Alec asks, the headache sharpening his tone more than he intended. 

Surprise flashes briefly on Underhill's face. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" 

"Uhm." Underhill fidgets and runs his left hand through his hair, uneasiness clear in the way he avoids Alec’s eyes. "Maybe you should ask your sister, sir. I heard the news came from the armory." 

“Underhill-” Alec, pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache he can feel building, his patience wearing thinner by the minute. "_Andrew_. What news?"

"You should really talk to your sister. Now if you'll excuse me, I should go check if the new security protocol is running properly." And with that, he’s gone before Alec can blink. 

Alec sighs and heads for the coffee maker. 

Caffeine first, Izzy later. 

Several cups of coffee and a few reports later, Alec has forgotten about the whole ordeal. He checks his watch and curses when he realizes it’s almost time to wrap things up and go home. He has just left his office when his phone chimes with a new text. He smiles as he reads Magnus’ name on the screen but frowns as soon as he reads the message. 

_ Alexander, darling, do you happen to know why I’ve been on the receiving end of several congratulatory messages? _

Alec groans and texts back a quick_ I’ll explain later _ to Magnus. Then he turns on his heels, determined to talk to Izzy and get to the bottom of this. 

The armory is so quiet he’s sure it’s empty until he turns a corner and sees his sister bent over a set of swords. She is so intently at work that she doesn’t notice his arrival. 

Alec stands there for a few seconds, face softening as he takes in the stiff line of her shoulders, the shadows under her eyes. He makes a mental note to ask her to take some time off.

But first- 

He clears his throat and crosses his arms across his chest, trying to assume his best no-nonsense stance but knowing perfectly well it won’t work on his firecracker of a sister. 

Izzy raises his head at the sound, her face lighting up as she catches sight of Alec. “Big brother!” She puts down her tools and reaches him in a few strides. 

Alec’s arms unfurl and wrap around Isabelle on their own accord when her small body collides against his chest. It’s an automatic reaction, conditioned by years of habit.

She hugs him tight and pulls back with a huge smile, genuine delight in her eyes. “Oh, Alec, I’m so happy for you! I meant to come over and-” 

“Iz, slow down,” he says, raising one hand up to stop her. “Care to tell me why everyone is congratulating me and laughing behind my back? Nobody would talk to me and when I asked my head of security, he pointed his finger at you and fled my office.”

“Oh,” she says, teeth worrying her bottom lip. “Did you guys want to keep it under wraps? I just talked to Jace, Alec, he must have told-”

“Wait.” Alec interrupts her again, a hint of frustration slipping into his voice. “_ What _ exactly is going on? What are you talking about?”

“You and Magnus,” she answers slowly, like she’s trying to explain him something simple he’s not seeing. 

“What about us?”

She looks at him as if he’s lost his mind. “Your engagement, Alec.”

“Our _ what? _” he splutters, feeling his eyes go wide at her words. 

Izzy looks confused for a few seconds before a look of stubborn disbelief settles on her face. “You’re not fooling me, Alec. I heard you guys last night at the Hunter’s Moon.”

“You heard us.” It isn’t a question. 

Izzy just nods and looks at him pointedly and Alec tries to make sense of what the hell she may have heard to led her to believe they were engaged.

Alec remembers they talked about work, about a tricky agreement between the Clave and the Downworld they are trying to push forward at the next meeting. He also recalls switching to more conversational topics as the alcohol kept flowing. He also has a vague recollection of the end of the evening, when they started to discuss some of the nature documentaries Alec has recently taken a liking to and - 

“Oh God.” Alec runs his hand over his face and groans. “We were talking about swans, Iz.”

“Alec,” she says very slowly. “I heard your talk about spending your life together.”

“Yeah, because that’s what _ swans _ do.” 

Izzy still looks skeptical and Alec can’t really blame her for jumping to the wrong conclusion. “That’s what swans do,” she says flatly. 

“Yeah, they’re monogamous and they mate for life and-” he pauses, realizing he’s rambling. “Look, Izzy, we were drunk and talking about a documentary we watched a few days ago.”

Alec watches the incredulity turn into amusement on her face as soon as she starts to believe him. “Oh, Alec,” is all she says before she dissolves into a fit of giggles. 

“This isn’t funny, Izzy.” He tries to school his face into a neutral expression because after all, maybe it _ is _ a bit funny. “Now the whole Institute knows we’re engaged and - _ Oh God _\- did Jace tell mom?”

If possible, Izzy laughs harder. “If she hasn’t already stormed the Institute to grill you first and hug you later, then you should be safe.” 

“Thank the Angel,” he says, dreading the thought of having to explain all of this to his mother. “I already have to explain to Magnus why people are texting to congratulate him.” 

“Tell him I’m sorry.” 

She doesn’t sound sorry at all, Alec thinks. “No, you’re not.” 

“I’m not,” she agrees, eyes sparkling with amusement. “But come on, big brother, who could have imagined you two would drunkenly talk about the mating habits of swans?”

She’s got a point, Alec thinks. Still. “You could have asked us.”

“And ruin your moment?” She asks, voice deceptively sweet. 

“I should put you and Jace on ichor duty.”

She recognizes it for the empty threat it is because she just laughs and bumps his shoulder. “Go home.”

“I’m going,” he relents. He’s about to make another snarky remark when he notices that the dark shadows under her eyes look even worse up close. “But you’re doing the same.” He makes eye contact with her to make sure she knows he’s serious. “And you’re off tomorrow too.”

“I need to deal with the last delivery from the Citadel,” she protests. “I need to-”

“What you need,” Alec interrupts her. “Is to rest and have some fun. Go, Izzy. Take Clary out on a date.” He raises one hand to stop her from protesting further. “Head of the Institute’s orders.”

She looks like she’s about to argue with him but in the end she sighs and nods. “Okay. I’ll wrap things up and I’ll call it a night.”

“Thank you.” Alec pulls her into a tight hug and releases her. “And Izzy.” He’s about to turn around when he stops and tries to look stern when, in fact, they both know he could never hold a grudge. “No more rumors.”

Alec hears her laugh echoing off the walls as he walks away. 

  
  


*

  
  


“So, you see, that’s the reason people have been texting you all day,” Alec finishes, glancing toward Magnus to gauge his reaction.

Magnus keeps still for a few seconds. His face is unreadable but when Alec is about to apologize, he sees his expression morph into amusement. 

At last, he laughs, bright and loud. “You and your documentaries,” he says, the exasperated head-shake belied by the fondness in his voice.

"Hey," Alec protests, trying to suppress his own chuckles but ending up bursting into laughter. He reaches out to swat Magnus’ arm but he lets his hand linger on his bicep instead. "It's not my fault Izzy took it out of context.” 

“I believe this means I will have to text everyone back and explain the misunderstanding," Magnus says, shoulders and voice still shaking with silent laughter. "You have no idea how grandiose warlock engagement customs can get."

"Yeah?" Alec asks, leaning over and pressing his lips briefly against Magnus'. 

Magnus hums and nods, reaching out to place his hand over Alec's hip to pull him even closer. "Marriage isn't a common institution in the warlock community, for obvious reasons. We tend to celebrate it when it happens."

And is it Alec's imagination or there's some wistfulness in Magnus' words, on his face? But when Magnus pulls back, he is smiling again, exasperated fondness back in place so quickly Alec thinks his mind must have played tricks on him. 

Magnus smiles and kisses Alec again, just a brief press of his lips. "Right," he says brightly, pulling back and taking his phone out of the inside pocket of his vest. "I'd better get to work, then." 

Magnus' voice is a little too bright, his smile a little sharper than usual. Alec watches him turn around, eyes trained on his face and that's when he spots it again. That guarded longing that tells him there's something Magnus is not saying. 

It's the little sigh as Magnus unlocks his phone that helps Alec connecting the dots and when he does, he's taken aback at the magnitude of his guess. His brain stutters for a moment, every part of himself on pause as he catches up with his thoughts. 

Magnus wants to marry him. 

Magnus wants to marry _ Alec_. 

This man, who has lived for hundreds of years and has had thousands of lovers, is wistful at the thought of marrying _him_. 

_ I can have this_, Alec thinks, his heart leaping to his throat at the very notion, his brain scrambling desperately to make sense of it. 

Alec entertained the thought in the past but he always pushed it back, knowing that just because he had the certainty that Magnus was it for him, it didn't mean Magnus was willing to rush into marriage. Oh, Alec knows Magnus loves him but he also knows love doesn't always equate to marriage. Especially when you're an immortal who's going to outlive most of your lovers.

Alec always assumed marriage was not something many warlocks wish for themselves but he failed to consider that Magnus is not many warlocks. 

_ Marriage is a wonderful institution, _ he remembers Magnus saying. And if he focuses on the memory, he can remember the wistfulness. He can also remember the bitterness as Magnus finished the sentence. _ Not that I would know. _

"Wait," Alec says before he can think better of it, reaching out to grab Magnus' shoulder. 

Magnus stills and slowly turns around, fingers still on the keyboard of his phone. "Alexander?" 

Alec takes a deep breath and swallows, trying to force his throat to cooperate. "I-" _What the hell am I doing? _ He thinks. Magnus deserves a nice dinner, flowers, a fucking _ ring. _Not some stupid, spur-of-the-moment proposal. 

"What is it, darling?" 

And really, it is the hopeful hesitation in Magnus' eyes that does it for Alec. Besides, it’s not like Alec is ever been one to follow proper procedure when the heart is involved. 

_ Marry me, _Alec wants to say, all traces of doubt gone. But his brain, he finds out, is still refusing to work properly. "Will you be my swan?" he blurts out instead, covering his mouth with his hand in horror as soon as he realizes what he just said.

Magnus goes very still, the widening of his eyes and the slight catch in his breath the only signs that he understands Alec's question for what it is. His eyes are searching as he looks at Alec's face and Alec wills himself to push away the embarrassment and the insecurity and forces himself to meet Magnus’ gaze squarely, unflinchingly. 

Alec’s composure starts to waver as the silence stretches out. Magnus is quiet for such a long time that Alec starts to doubt he's read him wrong. He feels like he's standing on the edge of a precipice, waiting for the one answer that can either hurl him toward the rocks below or make him soar up toward the sun.

Before he can start to beat himself up for being_ such _an idiot, Magnus' brow smooths out, his lips curve into a small, tentative smile. "Are you asking me what I think you are?" he asks, smile widening as Alec nods. "Oh, Alexander, I'd be ecstatic to marry you.“

Alec's breath rushes out of his lungs in a soundless laugh as Magnus' words drags him back from the edge of the cliff and send him soaring up, up, up. He dips his head and presses his lips to Magnus' smiling ones. “Yeah?”

“Yes,” Magnus replies, pressing his hand over Alec’s chest. His lips twitch in amusement. “But as much as I love you, I'm afraid I draw the line at growing feathers." 

Alec laughs, relieved, wrapping his arms around Magnus. "No feathers." Is all he manages to say before both of them dissolve into a fit of laughter. 

When they manage to catch their breath, Alec is still smiling, so happy he can’t even speak. He leans forward and kisses Magnus, _his_ _fiancé_, who cups Alec’s face with both of his hands and deepens the kiss. It’s slow, unhurried, and so full of promises. 

Magnus’ eyes are shining as he pulls back and Alec can really relate, considering his own vision is blurred. 

“I love you, Alexander.” Magnus smiles- _ beams _ \- at him and _ God, _ how Alec loves this man back. 

“I love you too,” Alec answers, so full of it he feels like he’s bursting. He takes Magnus hand and tugs, leading him to their bedroom, where he proceeds to show Magnus exactly how much.

*

Lying in bed that night, Magnus’ back pressed to his chest, Alec’s only worry in the world is whether or not he can deter Magnus from making their wedding too much of a lavish affair but he already knows he’s gonna fail miserably at it.

He sighs, more amused than nervous, and shifts closer to Magnus, slotting his knees into the space behind Magnus’ legs, where Alec’s body seems to fit perfectly. 

_ It’s real_, he thinks. They’re really getting married, aren’t they? The thought is in equal parts frightening and exhilarating but most of all, _ right_. 

The endorphin rush of the orgasm is long gone but as Alec wraps his arm around Magnus’ waist, he’s still soaring. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you had as much fun reading as I did writing it.  
Thank you for reading. :)


End file.
